By Aideloje Ojo
Minna
The family of former Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (retd), has again refuted the rumour making the rounds that its patriarch was alive and that people should disregard such insinuations.
A cousin of the former ruler, Alhaji Dattijo Aliyu, yesterday dismissed the rumour that the elder statesman was dead in a telephone conversation with Blueprint, saying that I just spoke with him about an hour ago.
He said: “Quote me, I have just talked with him about an hour ago. It is not true that he has died. However, let me tell you that there are three things in life about human beings that cannot be designed by man. These are accidents, illness and death. Therefore whoever it is that is wishing him death is not his God.”
He recalled that this was not the first time people were peddling rumours of death against IBB, adding that the family was not perturbed by the development since his life was in the hands of the Almighty Allah.
He argued that the act of rumour peddling was not new in the country, saying that for instance former President Shehu Shagari was even rumoured to have died and buried “yet he is hail and healthy today.”
Aliyu said the family had dedicated the life of its patriarch to Allah and prayed that God would continue to give him good health.